The present invention relates to the field of normal and abnormal cell growth, in particular mitogenic regulation. The present invention provides the following: nucleotide sequences encoding for the production of enzymes that are mitogenic regulators; amino acid sequences of these enzymes; vectors containing these nucleotide sequences; methods for transfecting cells with vectors that produce these enzymes; transfected cells; methods for administering these transfected cells to animals to induce tumor formation; and antibodies to these enzymes that are useful for detecting and measuring levels of these enzymes, and for binding to cells possessing extracellular epitopes of these enzymes.
Reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) are partial reduction products of oxygen: 1 electron reduces O2 to form superoxide (O2xe2x88x92), and 2 electrons reduce O2 to form hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). ROI are generated as a byproduct of aerobic metabolism and by toxicological mechanisms. There is growing evidence for regulated enzymatic generation of O2xe2x88x92 and its conversion to H2O2 in a variety of cells. The conversion of O2xe2x88x92 to H2O2 occurs spontaneously, but is markedly accelerated by superoxide dismutase (SOD). High levels of ROI are associated with damage to biomolecules such as DNA, biomembranes and proteins. Recent evidence indicates generation of ROI under normal cellular conditions and points to signaling roles for O2xe2x88x92 and H2O2.
Several biological systems generate reactive oxygen. Phagocytic cells such as neutrophils generate large quantities of ROI as part of their battery of bactericidal mechanisms. Exposure of neutrophils to bacteria or to various soluble mediators such as formyl-Met-Leu-Phe or phorbol esters activates a massive consumption of oxygen, termed the respiratory burst, to initially generate superoxide, with secondary generation of H2O2, HOCl and hydroxyl radical. The enzyme responsible for this oxygen consumption is the respiratory burst oxidase (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-reduced form (NADPH) oxidase).
There is growing evidence for the generation of ROI by non-phagocytic cells, particularly in situations related to cell proliferation. Significant generation of H2O2, O2xe2x88x92 or both have been noted in some cell types. Fibroblasts and human endothelial cells show increased release of superoxide in response to cytokines such as interleukin-1 or tumor necrosis factor (TNF) (Meier et al. (1989) Biochem J. 263, 539-545.; Matsubara et al. (1986) J. Immun. 137, 3295-3298). Ras-transformed fibroblasts show increased superoxide release compared with control fibroblasts (Irani, et al. (1997) Science 275, 1649-1652). Rat vascular smooth muscle cells show increased H2O2 release in response to PDGF (Sundaresan et al. (1995) Science 270, 296-299) and angiotensin II (Griendling et al. (1994) Circ. Res. 74, 1141-1148; Fukui et al. (1997) Circ. Res. 80, 45-51; Ushio-Fukai et al. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 23317-23321), and H2O2 in these cells is associated with increased proliferation rate. The occurrence of ROI in a variety of cell types is summarized in Table 1 (adapted from Burdon, R. (1995) Free Radical Biol. Med. 18, 775-794).
ROI generated by the neutrophil have a cytotoxic function. While ROI are normally directed at the invading microbe, ROI can also induce tissue damage (e.g., in inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, shock, lung disease, and inflammatory bowel disease) or may be involved in tumor initiation or promotion, due to damaging effects on DNA. Nathan (Szatrowski et al. (1991) Canc. Res. 51, 794-798) proposed that the generation of ROI in tumor cells may contribute to the hypermutability seen in tumors, and may therefore contribute to tumor heterogeneity, invasion and metastasis.
In addition to cytotoxic and mutagenic roles, ROI have ideal properties as signal molecules: 1) they are generated in a controlled manner in response to upstream signals; 2) the signal can be terminated by rapid metabolism of O2xe2x88x92 and H2O2 by SOD and catalase/peroxidases; 3) they elicit downstream effects on target molecules, e.g., redox-sensitive regulatory proteins such as NF kappa B and AP-1 (Schreck et al. (1991) EMBO J. 10, 2247-2258; Schmidt et al. (1995) Chemistry and Biology 2, 13-22). Oxidants such as O2xe2x88x92 and H2O2 have a relatively well defined signaling role in bacteria, operating via the SoxI/II regulon to regulate transcription.
ROI appear to have a direct role in regulating cell division, and may function as mitogenic signals in pathological conditions related to growth. These conditions include cancer and cardiovascular disease. O2xe2x88x92 is generated in endothelial cells in response to cytokines, and might play a role in angiogenesis (Matsubara et al. (1986) J. Immun. 137, 3295-3298). O2xe2x88x92 and H2O2 are also proposed to function as xe2x80x9clife-signalsxe2x80x9d, preventing cells from undergoing apoptosis (Matsubara et al. (1986) J. Immun. 137, 3295-3298). As discussed above, many cells respond to growth factors (e.g., platelet derived growth factor (PDGF), epidermal derived growth factor (EGF), angiotensin II, and various cytokines) with both increased production of O2xe2x88x92/H2O2 and increased proliferation. Inhibition of ROI generation prevents the mitogenic response. Exposure to exogenously generated O2xe2x88x92 and H2O2 results in an increase in cell proliferation. A partial list of responsive cell types is shown below in Table 2 (adapted from Burdon, R. (1995) Free Radical Biol. Med. 18, 775-794).
While non-transformed cells can respond to growth factors and cytokines with the production of ROI, tumor cells appear to produce ROI in an uncontrolled manner. A series of human tumor cells produced large amounts of hydrogen peroxide compared with non-tumor cells (Szatrowski et al. (1991) Canc. Res. 51, 794-798). Ras-transformed NIH 3T3 cells generated elevated amounts of superoxide, and inhibition of superoxide generation by several mechanisms resulted in a reversion to a xe2x80x9cnormalxe2x80x9d growth phenotype.
O2xe2x88x92 has been implicated in maintenance of the transformed phenotype in cancer cells including melanoma, breast carcinoma, fibrosarcoma, and virally transformed tumor cells. Decreased levels of the manganese form of SOD (MnSOD) have been measured in cancer cells and in vitro-transformed cell lines, predicting increased O2xe2x88x92 levels (Burdon, R. (1995) Free Radical Biol. Med. 18, 775-794). MnSOD is encoded on chromosome 6q25 which is very often lost in melanoma. Overexpression of MnSOD in melanoma and other cancer cells (Church et al. (1993) Proc. of Natl. Acad. Sci. 90, 3113-3117; Femandez-Pol et al. (1982) Canc. Res. 42, 609-617; Yan et al. (1996) Canc. Res. 56, 2864-2871) resulted in suppression of the transformed phenotype.
ROI are implicated in growth of vascular smooth muscle associated with hypertension, atherosclerosis, and restenosis after angioplasty. O2xe2x88x92 generation is seen in rabbit aortic adventitia (Pagano et al. (1997) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 94, 14483-14488). Vascular endothelial cells release O2xe2x88x92 in response to cytokines (Matsubara et al. (1986) J. Immun. 137, 3295-3298). O2xe2x88x92 is generated by aortic smooth muscle cells in culture, and increased O2xe2x88x92 generation is stimulated by angiotensin II which also induces cell hypertrophy. In a rat model system, infusion of angiotensin II leads to hypertension as well as increased O2xe2x88x92 generation in subsequently isolated aortic tissue (Ushio-Fukai et al. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 23317-23321.; Yu et al. (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 27288-27294). Intravenous infusion of a form of SOD that localizes to the vasculature or an infusion of an O2xe2x88x92 scavenger prevented angiotensin II induced hypertension and inhibited ROI generation (Fukui et al. (1997) Circ. Res. 80, 45-51).
The neutrophil NADPH oxidase, also known as phagocyte respiratory burst oxidase, provides a paradigm for the study of the specialized enzymatic ROI-generating system. This extensively studied enzyme oxidizes NADPH and reduces oxygen to form O2xe2x88x92. NADPH oxidase consists of multiple proteins and is regulated by assembly of cytosolic and membrane components. The catalytic moiety consists of flavocytochrome b558, an integral plasma membrane enzyme comprised of two components: gp91phox (gp refers to glycoprotein; phox is an abbreviation of the words phagocyte and oxidase) and p22phox (p refers to protein). gp91phox contains 1 flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) and 2 hemes as well as the NADPH binding site. p22phox has a C-terminal proline-rich sequence which serves as a binding site for cytosolic regulatory proteins. The two cytochrome subunits, gp91phox and p22phox appear to stabilize one another, since the genetic absence of either subunit, as in the inherited disorder chronic granulomatous disease (CGD), results in the absence of the partner subunit (Yu et al. (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 27288-27294). Essential cytosolic proteins include p47phox, p67phox and the small GTPase Rac, of which there are two isoforms. p47phox and p67phox both contain SH3 regions and proline-rich regions which participate in protein interactions governing assembly of the oxidase components during activation. The neutrophil enzyme is regulated in response to bacterial phagocytosis or chemotactic signals by phosphorylation of p47phox, and perhaps other components, as well as by guanine nucleotide exchange to activate the GTP-binding protein Rac.
The origin of ROI in non-phagocytic tissues is unproven, but the occurrence of phagocyte oxidase components has been evaluated in several systems by immunochemical methods, Northern blots and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The message for p22phox is expressed widely, as is that for Rac1. Several cell types that are capable of O2xe2x88x92 generation have been demonstrated to contain all of the phox components including gp91phox, as summarized below in Table 3. These cell types include endothelial cells, aortic adventitia and lymphocytes.
However, a distinctly different pattern is seen in several other cell types shown in Table 3 including glomerular mesangial cells, rat aortic smooth muscle and fibroblasts. In these cells, expression of gp91phox is absent while p22phox and in some cases cytosolic phox components have been demonstrated to be present. Since gp91phox and p22phox stabilize one another in the neutrophil, there has been much speculation that some molecule, possibly related to gp91phox, accounts for ROI generation in glomerular mesangial cells, rat aortic smooth muscle and fibroblasts (Ushio-Fukai et al. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 23317-23321). Investigation of fibroblasts from a patient with a genetic absence of gp91phox provides proof that the gp91phox subunit is not involved in ROI generation in these cells (Emmendorffer et al. (1993) Eur. J. Haematol. 51, 223-227). Depletion of p22phox from vascular smooth muscle using an antisense approach indicated that this subunit participates in ROI generation in these cells, despite the absence of detectable gp91phox (Ushio-Fukai et al. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 23317-23321). At this time the molecular candidates possibly related to gp91phox and involved in ROI generation in these cells are unknown.
Accordingly, what is needed is the identity of the proteins involved in ROI generation, especially in non-phagocytic tissues and cells. What is also needed are the nucleotide sequences encoding for these proteins, and the primary sequences of the proteins themselves. Also needed are vectors designed to include nucleotides encoding for these proteins. Probes and PCR primers derived from the nucleotide sequence are needed to detect, localize and measure nucleotide sequences, including mRNA, involved in the synthesis of these proteins. In addition, what is needed is a means to transfect cells with these vectors. What is also needed are expression systems for production of these molecules. Also needed are antibodies directed against these molecules for a variety of uses including localization, detection, measurement and passive immunization.
The present invention solves the problems described above by providing a novel family of nucleotide sequences and proteins encoded by these nucleotide sequences termed mox proteins and duox proteins. In particular the present invention providess compositions comprising the nucleotide sequences SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:22, SEQ ID NO:41, SEQ ID NO:45, SEQ ID NO:47, and fragments thereof, which encode for the expression of proteins comprising SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:42, SEQ ID NO:46, SEQ ID NO:48, respectively, and fragments thereof. While not wanting to be bound by the following statement, it is believed that these proteins are involved in ROI production. The present invention also provides vectors containing these nucleotide sequences, cells transfected with these vectors which produce the proteins comprising SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:42, SEQ ID NO:46, SEQ ID NO:48, and fragments thereof, and antibodies to these proteins and fragments thereof. The present invention also provides methods for stimulating cellular proliferation by administering vectors encoded for production of the proteins comprising SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:42, SEQ ID NO:46, SEQ ID NO:48 and fragments thereof. The present invention also provides methods for stimulating cellular proliferation by administering the proteins comprising SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:42, SEQ ID NO:46, SEQ ID NO:48 and fragments thereof. The nucleotides and antibodies of the present invention are useful for the detection, localization and measurement of the nucleic acids encoding for the production of the proteins of the present invention, and also for the detection, localization and measurement of the proteins of the present invention. These nucleotides and antibodies can be combined with other reagents in kits for the purposes of detection, localization and measurement.
Most particularly, the present invention involves a method for regulation of cell division or cell proliferation by modifying the activity or expression of the proteins described as SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:42, SEQ ID NO:46, SEQ ID NO:48 or fragments thereof. These proteins, in their naturally occurring or expressed forms, are expected to be useful in drug development, for example for screening of chemical and drug libraries by observing inhibition of the activity of these enzymes. Such chemicals and drugs would likely be useful as treatments for cancer, prostatic hypertrophy, benign prostatic hypertrophy, hypertension, atherosclerosis and many other disorders involving abnormal cell growth or proliferation as described below. The entire expressed protein may be useful in these assays. Portions of the molecule which may be targets for inhibition or modification include but are not limited to the binding site for pyridine nucleotides (NADPH or NADH), the flavoprotein domain (approximately the C-terminal 265 amino acids), and/or the binding or catalytic site for flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD).
The method of the present invention may be used for the development of drugs or other therapies for the treatment of conditions associated with abnormal growth including, but not limited to the following: cancer, psoriasis, prostatic hypertrophy, benign prostatic hypertrophy, cardiovascular disease, proliferation of vessels, including but not limited to blood vessels and lymphatic vessels, arteriovenous malformation, vascular problems associated with the eye, atherosclerosis, hypertension, and restenosis following angioplasty. The enzymes of the present invention are excellent targets for the development of drugs and other agents which may modulate the activity of these enzymes. It is to be understood that modulation of activity may result in enhanced, diminished or absence of enzymatic activity. Modulation of the activity of these enzymes may be useful in treatment of conditions associated with abnormal growth.
Drugs which affect the activity of the enzymes represented in SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:42, SEQ ID NO:46, SEQ ID NO:48, or fragments thereof, may also be combined with other therapeutics in the treatment of specific conditions. For example, these drugs may be combined with angiogenesis inhibitors in the treatment of cancer, with antihypertensives for the treatment of hypertension, and with cholesterol lowering drugs for the treatment of atherosclerosis.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide nucleotide sequences, or fragments thereof, encoding for the production of proteins, or fragments thereof, that are involved in ROI production.
Another object of the present invention is to provide vectors containing these nucleotide sequences, or fragments thereof.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide cells transfected with these vectors.
Still another object of the present invention is to administer cells transfected with these vectors to animals and humans.
Another object of the present invention is to provide proteins, or fragments thereof, that are involved in ROI production.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide antibodies, including monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies, or fragments thereof, raised against proteins, or fragments thereof, that are involved in ROI production.
Another object of the present invention is to administer genes containing nucleotide sequences, or fragments thereof, encoding for the production of proteins, or fragments thereof, that are involved in ROI production, to animals and humans and also to cells obtained from animals and humans.
Another object of the present invention is to administer antisense complimentary sequences of genes containing nucleotide sequences, or fragments thereof, encoding for the production of proteins, or fragments thereof, that are involved in ROI production, to animals and humans and also to cells obtained from animals and humans.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method for stimulating or inhibiting cellular proliferation by administering vectors containing nucleotide sequences, or fragments thereof, encoding for the production of proteins, or fragments thereof, that are involved in ROI production, to animals and humans. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a method for stimulating or inhibiting cellular proliferation by administering vectors containing antisense complimentary sequences of nucleotide sequences, or fragments thereof, encoding for the production of proteins, or fragments thereof, that are involved in ROI production, to animals and humans. These methods of stimulating cellular proliferation are useful for a variety of purposes, including but not limited to, developing animal models of tumor formation, stimulating cellular proliferation of blood marrow cells following chemotherapy or radiation, or in cases of anemia.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide antibodies useful in immunotherapy against cancers expressing the proteins represented in SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:42, SEQ ID NO:46, SEQ ID NO:48 or fragments thereof.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide nucleotide probes useful for the detection, localization and measurement of nucleotide sequences, or fragments thereof, encoding for the production of proteins, or fragments thereof, that are involved in ROI production.
Another object of the present invention is to provide antibodies useful for the detection, localization and measurement of nucleotide sequences, or fragments thereof, encoding for the production of proteins, or fragments thereof, that are involved in ROI production.
Another object of the present invention is to provide kits useful for detection of nucleic acids including the nucleic acids represented in SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:22, SEQ ID NO:41, SEQ ID NO:45, SEQ ID NO:47, or fragments thereof, that encode for proteins, or fragments thereof, that are involved in ROI production.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide kits useful for detection and measurement of nucleic acids including the nucleic acids represented in SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:22, SEQ ID NO:41, SEQ ID NO:45, SEQ ID NO:47, or fragments thereof, that encode for proteins, or fragments thereof, that are involved in ROI production.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide kits useful for the localization of nucleic acids including the nucleic acids represented in SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:22, SEQ ID NO:41, SEQ ID NO:45, SEQ ID NO:47, or fragments thereof, that encode for proteins, or fragments thereof that are involved in ROI production.
Another object of the present invention is to provide kits useful for detection of proteins, including the proteins represented in SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:42, SEQ ID NO:46, SEQ ID NO:48, or fragments thereof, that are involved in ROI production.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide kits useful for detection and measurement of proteins, including the proteins represented in SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:42, SEQ ID NO:46, SEQ ID NO:48, or fragments thereof, that are involved in ROI production.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide kits useful for localization of proteins, including the proteins represented in SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:42, SEQ ID NO:46, SEQ ID NO:48, or fragments thereof, that are involved in ROI production.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provides kits useful for the detection, measurement or localization of nucleic acids, or fragments thereof, encoding for proteins, or fragments thereof, that are involved in ROI production, for use in diagnosis and prognosis of abnormal cellular proliferation related to ROI production.
Another object of the present invention is to provides kits useful for the detection, measurement or localization of proteins, or fragments thereof, that are involved in ROI production, for use in diagnosis and prognosis of abnormal cellular proliferation related to ROI production.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a review of the following detailed description of the disclosed embodiments and the appended drawings.